PORTVILLE — After a couple of handshakes, photos and speeches Portville’s 2024 graduating class moved over their tassels, signifying the celebratory conclusion to this chapter of their lives.

Graduates, Portville staff and family members alike had their ears filled with words of encouragement, tales of personal reflection and entertaining stories that all culminated into the collective memories of this year’s class.

In her speech, PValedictorian Gwenyth Mitchell noted she had a hard time finding “words that would ‘fit’ with everyone.” But that, in turn, was special in and of itself because at the bare minimum what she and her classmates shared was their experiences through education.

“Not everyone in my grade has had the same opportunities that I or others have been afforded,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t want to write my speech about a slogan like ‘just keep swimming’ because not everyone can swim … while not everyone is able to swim, everyone has the ability to learn.”

While she and each of her fellow classmates have their educational background in common, what comes next in each of their lives is unique. She noted that the road can be daunting and some dreams may seem out of reach, but through education — the one they received at PCS and the more yet to come — anything is possible.

“I know that all 83 of us have something, some goal that we want to achieve one day, some dream that we want to come true,” Mitchell said. “As we grow older, these dreams and goals seem to become more and more unattainable, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make them happen … knowledge is the most powerful tool we have. It is the key to success, and it will stick with you throughout your life, opening doors for opportunities that are beyond your wildest dreams.”

In her speech, Portville’s 2024 Salutatorian Jessica Daley focussed on the theme of how each person is shaped by those around them, their actions and their words. She likened her class to pieces of clay, while they may eventually be used to become a part of something bigger than just themselves, they will need to be shaped beforehand. 

Daley drew shades of inspiration from the famed comic strip Calvin and Hobbes when looking for the best way to sum up her speech’s main points and send her class into their next chapter. 

“I hope that when you look up to the stars, you see a world full of possibilities,” Daley said. “But I also hope that you remember where it all started. Here at Portville, where we were molded into the exceptional individuals that we are today.”

   

Graduates:

Skye H. Anderson-Lunn, Aurora K. Andrianoff, Olivia Ann Artlip, Hailey Ann Studley, Emylee Bailey, Monica Bailey, Lillian Grace Bentley, Danielle Roxann Breidenstein, Noah A. Brown, Thomas Robert Buckvich, Gracie M. Carter, Demi Jade Chudy, Kaylin Conklin, Jessica Marie Daley, Allyson Davenport, Olivia G. Dean, Lylian Leigh DeArmitt, Avery Bianca DeFazio, Brannon Andrew Dickerson, Emilie M. Edick, Ashley Ann Edwards, Hailey LaFawn Edwards, Alaina Elliott, Emma C. Elliott, Hayden D. Emley, Kevin R. Estabrook, William Howard Everitt III, Michael R. Fahnestock, Mattison M. Foster, Joseph Thomas Funden, Xavier Thomas Geise, Brock Adam George, Caidyn Mykel Gilroy, Delaney Grandusky, Austin Budd Grant Greinert, Mackenzie Harmon, Aryanna Marie Hatch, Ava Beth Haynes, Elijah David Clifton Herne, Zoey Elizabeth Hoak, Kaedon Christopher Holcomb, Justin Michael Howard, Madison Taylor Jobe, Emily J. Jordan, Meghan Elise Lyle, Nikalaus J. Manroe, Molly E. Marshall, Emily Ann Miller, Gwenyth Elliott Mitchell, Keaton Noller, Kyle J. North, Ethan David Obergfell, Karsen E. Padlo, Zachary Lee Perkins, Luke William Petryszak, Steven W. Pettit, Emily Taylor Proctor, Trinity Faith Richardson, Kerri Ann Rocheleau, Madison Jean Saltsman, Jacqueline Elizabeth Scanlon, Kaiden John Scanlon, Emily Elise Schultz-Cone, Dayton R. Shaw, Allison Jean Smith, Shaela E.Spring, Andrew John Steighner, Tyler Nicholas Stives, Milena Vaughn Stone, Landon N. Strade, Ryan James Swartwout, Simon Stuart Szymanski, Madeline Thorton, Troy David VanSickle, Seth Nathanael Vos, Drake Paul Wiedemann, Marcus W. Wilson, Jenna Lee Wyant, Julia Lynn Wyant, Lucious Valentino Young, Konner Nathaniel Zajicek, Samuel J. Zeigler, Logan John Zwack

Awards & Scholarships

• Excellence in Education Award — Jessica Daley, Emilie Edick and Gwenyth Mitchell
• The Frair Fund Award — Hayden Emley
• Dawne Evans Joseph Scholarship Memorial Award — William Everitt
• Dr. Louise Merrick Memorial Scholarship — Sky Anderson-Lunn, Jessica Daley, Olivia Dean, Emilie Edick, Emma Elliott, William Everitt, Zoey Hoak, Gwenyth Mitchell, Jackie Scanlon, Dayton Shaw, Allison Smith, and Shaela Spring
• The 2024 Art & Antique Committee Scholarship Winners — Jessica Daley, Emilie Edick and Gwenyth Mitchell
• Michele Foss Bartholomew “Good Person” Scholarship — Skye Anderson-Lunn and Avery DeFazio
• Jamestown Community College’s USA Scholarship — Allison Smith
• NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence — Jessica Daley, William Everitt, and Gwenyth Mitchell
• ACE scholarship — Emma Elliott and Samuel Zeigler
• Laura Jopling Scholarship — Jessica Daley and Gwenyth Mitchell
• Exceptional Athlete Award — Lillian Bentley and Luke Petryszak
• Ancient Order of the Hibernians scholarship — Avery DeFazio
• Virginia E Stauffer Memorial Scholarship — Skye Anderson-Lunn, Madeline Thornton, Jenna Wyant, Julia Wyant, and Samuel Zeigler
• The Chuck Bretzin Jr. Scholarship — Olivia Artlip and Hailey Edwards
• Connect Life Scholarship — Lillian Bentley and Julia Wyant
• American Red Cross Scholarship — Avery DeFazio
• Student Council Scholarships — Olivia Dean, Emilie Edick, Emma Elliott, Aryanna Hatch, Ava Haynes, Kaedon Holcomb, Meghan Lyle, Ethan Obergfell, Luke Petryszak, Madison Saltsman, Jacqueline Scanlon, Allison Smith, and Jenna Wyant
• Robert “Dean” Travis Memorial Scholarship — Ava Haynes
• Portville American Legion scholarships — Demi Chudy, Brock George, and Karsen Padlo
• The Dave Waugh Memorial Scholarship — Avery DeFazio and Kaedon Holcomb
• Harold E. Moulton Scholarship — Emilie Edick and Hailey Studley
• Hearts For Isabella Memorial Scholarship Award — Avery DeFazio
• The Amaranth Verna Harbeck Memorial Scholarship — Aryanna Hatch and Ava Haynes
• The Portville Alumni Association Scholarship — Jenna Wyant and Julia Wyant
• The Cattaraugus-Allegany Dream It. Do It. Impact Award — Jessica Daley
• The Belva A. Waite Memorial Scholarship — Olivia Dean, Emilie Edick, Ava Haynes, Hailey Studley and Seth Vos
• The Gregory D. Spring Perseverance Scholarship — Dayton Shaw, Shaela Spring and Hailey Studley
• Jonathan Teuscher Scholarship — Avery DeFazio
• Burt Scholarship — Zoey Hoak
• The Signe H. Johnson Scholarship — Madeline Thornton
• The Dresser-Rand Employees Scholarship — Oliva Artlip, Gracie Carter, Emilie Edick, Emma Elliott, Delaney Grandusky, Ava Haynes
• The Arnold McHone Sr. Manufacturing Scholarship — Konner Zajicek
• John J Murphy Family Scholarship — Madison Jobe
• The Eva M. Taggerty Memorial Scholarship — Seth Vos
• Ben & Rose Schwabenbauer Educational Scholarship — Julia Wyant
• Dr. Donald A Wormer Family Scholarship — Zoey Hoak and Allison Smith
• Daniel and Patrick McCarthy Scholarship — Andrew Steighner
• The Portville College Scholarships — Lillian Bentley, Gracie Carter, Jessica Daley, Olivia Dean, Avery DeFazio, Emilie Edick, Hailey Edwards, Emma Elliott, Delaney Grandusky, Aryanna Hatch, Ava Haynes, Kaedon Holcomb, Madison Jobe, Meghan Lyle, Molly Marshall, Gwenyth Mitchell, Zachary Perkins, Jacqueline Scanlon, Dayton Shaw, Allison Smith, Shaela Spring, Andrew Steighner, Hailey Studley, Jenna Wyant, and Julia Wyant